The present invention relates, in general to a release composition of the type applied to cooking utensils, such as baking and frying pans, and especially grills and the like, in order to prevent or inhibit food from sticking during cooking and to facilitate cleaning; which may be applied while a utensil, pan, or grill is hot; near an open flame or heating element; or while food is being cooked.
Release compositions (often called cooking sprays) are a useful aid for cooking. They are applied as a coating, which may be used in lieu of oils, grease, butter, etc., to lubricate the food-contacting surfaces of cooking utensils such as frying and baking pans, and facilitate separation of the cooked foodstuffs from the cooking surfaces and utensils without damaging the food and assisting the cleanup of the cooking surface or utensil. Often the spray is applied to the cooking surface or utensil before cooking, although it may be applied or reapplied during cooking. They may be applied from a squeeze bottle, low pressure finger pump actuated container, aerosol container, or the like.
The typical release composition can include lecithin, water, and edible oil. The use of liquid lecithin is well known as part of conventional food release compositions. It is a naturally-occurring substance usually obtained from soybean oil, sunflower oil, or other edible oils. Lecithin is mostly a mixture of glycolipids, triglycerides, and phospholipids (e.g. phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylinositol).
The amount of water added to a typical release composition is selected so as to partially hydrate the lecithin or, more accurately, so as to partially hydrate the phosphatide portion of the lecithin so as to render the partially hydrated lecithin insoluble in an edible oil. The amount of water added should not be so great as to fully hydrate the lecithin. Partially hydrated lecithins in release compositions provide clear, amber colored, platelet-like materials of a viscosity which can be readily handled and dispensed through preferred means such as conventional aerosol spray cans. Too little water in the composition will not render the lecithin insoluble in an edible oil, and consequently will not provide a readily dispersible non-foaming dispersion. Excessive water, in addition to contributing to problems of bacterial growth and rancidity, will result in a milky or cloudy composition.
Edible oils such as canola, partially hydrogenated winterized canola, corn, olive, peanut, cottonseed, safflower, soy, partially hydrogenated winterized soy, and sunflower oils, are also a common ingredient in release compositions. The edible oil component generally constitutes the largest single component of the food release composition and serves as the vehicle for the lecithin, water and any other ingredients.
A propellant is usually present in an amount at least sufficient to facilitate the delivery of an acceptable quantity of the release composition from a pressurizable container, i.e., a conventional aerosol spray can. A typical proportion of propellant may range from about 10 to 75 percent by weight of the composition. Generally, liquefiable compressed gas propellants comprise hydrocarbons, including propane, isobutane and n-butane, closely related dimethylether and fluorinated hydrocarbons such as difluoroethane (HFC-152), trifluoroethane (HFC-143B), tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134A), trifluoromethane (HFC-23) and mixtures thereof.
The presence of edible oils and hydrocarbons can increase the flammability of typical release compositions. A need exists for a release composition which may be applied while a utensil, pan, or grill is hot; near an open flame or heating element; or while food is being cooked.